New Zealand

Capital Wellington / 41.283°S 174.45°E / -41.283; 174.45

Largest city Auckland

Official languages English (98%)3

Maori (4.2%)3

NZ Sign Language (0.6%)

Ethnic groups 78% European Other

14.6% Maori
9.2% Asian
6.9% Pacific peoples

Demonym New Zealander Kiwi(colloquial)

Government Parliamentary democracy and Constitution monarchy

Head of State HM Queen Elizabeth II

Governor-General Anand Satyanand

Prime Minister John Key

Speaker Lockwood Smith

Chief Justice Sian Elias

Independence from the United Kingdom

1st Parliament 25 May 1854

Dominion 26 September 19074

Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931 (adopted 25 November 1947)

Constitution Act 1986 13 December 1986

AREATotal 268,680 km2 (75th)

103,738 sq mi

PopulationSeptember 2008 estimate

4,280,000 (122nd (2008))

2006 census 4,027,947

Density 15/km2 (204th)
39/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate

Total $112.703 billion

Per capita $26,610

Time zone NZST9 (UTC+12)

Summer (DST) NZDT (UTC+13) Sep to April

Drives on the left

Calling code 64

History

It is estimated the Maori inhabited New Zealand around 800AD. Around eight hundred years later the Western world discovered New Zealand. In 1642, in a bid to locate the mysterious, rich land Australia, the Dutch Explorer, Abel Tasman caught sight of the West Coast of the South Island. The First European to set foot on New Zealand soil was Captain James Cook of England, in 1769. He also made the first, but inaccurate map of the country.

Settlers from England started to arrive in the 1830's, and by 1840 a Treaty was signed between the crown and the chiefs of the Maori tribes.

One hundred and seven years later, in 1947 New Zealand declared independence, and became its own country, after Britain did not let New Zealand troops return to defend their home against the possibility of Japanese invasion in the Second World War. Though all New Zealanders became New Zealand citizens, until 1977 they were still British subjects. In 1983, New Zealand was declared "The Realm of New Zealand", and in 1986 the Constitution Act removed all power from the United Kingdom to legislate for New Zealand when it was requested. Today, Queen Elizabeth holds the title of Queen of New Zealand, and is represented by the Honorable Anand Satyanand, our Governor General. New Zealand remains part of the Commonwealth, but as an independent country.

Other Important Dates

1893 - First country to grant women the right to vote
1903 - Richard Pearse flew a home constructed aircraft. It's debatable whether he flew before the Wright brothers or not.
1953 - Explorer Sir Edmund Hillary with Tenzing Norgay reached Mt. Everest's summit

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